US President Donald Trump has said the United States will not finalize a civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia unless the kingdom joins the Abraham Accords and normalizes diplomatic relations with Israel. The remarks came during a meeting with reporters in the Oval Office.
Trump said Saudi Arabia’s participation in the Abraham Accords is a key condition for moving forward with the proposed nuclear cooperation agreement. He added that the time had come for the kingdom to join the regional normalization initiative.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said Saudi Arabia had previously been reluctant to join the Abraham Accords because of concerns about Iran. He claimed the regional situation had changed and argued that Iran no longer held the same level of influence in the Middle East.
The comments followed Trump’s recent approval of a proposed US-Saudi civil nuclear cooperation framework. However, the agreement must still receive approval from the US Congress before it can take effect.
In a statement shared on social media, Trump said the proposed agreement would not allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium. He said the programme would be limited to peaceful civilian purposes and compared it to civil nuclear programmes operating in countries such as the United Arab Emirates.
Trump reiterated that Saudi Arabia’s membership in the Abraham Accords would remain a fundamental requirement before the nuclear agreement could move ahead. The accords, first signed in 2020, established diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab states.
The US president also commented on Iran, saying he has not yet decided whether to authorize large-scale military strikes against the country. He noted that discussions between Washington and Tehran had become more serious in recent days.
According to Trump, US officials are continuing negotiations with Iran, and he believes Iranian representatives are showing greater willingness to engage in talks. He did not provide further details on the progress of the discussions or any potential outcomes.
Also read: Trump Booed During World Cup Trophy Ceremony
